Name: Munusamy Madhaiyan

My Area of Interest: Plant-Microbe interaction, Bacterial taxonomy and Diversity

My Favourite Quote: Microbiology

I am a: Visiting Scientist

Short Profile:

I am glad to introduce me as Dr. M. Madhaiyan, PhD presently holding a position as Post Doctoral Fellow at the Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Chungbuk National University, Republic of Korea. I finished my graduation and Doctoral research in Agricultural Microbiology with specialisation in Plant-Methylobacterium interactions with an award for Senior Research Fellow under ICAR scheme entitled “Bioinoculant Technology for Economic Nutrient Management in Cotton” for the doctoral program and subsequently worked as an SRF under this scheme in Central Institute for Cotton Research, Coimbatore, India. The doctoral research work results included five publications in reputed SCI journals. The efficacy of different Methylobacterium strains to improve plant growth in cotton was assessed through different field experiments. As a research associate in the SDF scheme entitled “Evaluation of Strains of Acetobacter diazotrophicus for Nitrogen Fixation in Sugarcane” at Sugarcane Breeding Institute (SBI), Coimbatore, India, the efficiency of Acetobacter diazotrophicus to enhance the nitrogen nutrition in Sugarcane was assessed through pot culture and field experiments and the results included two SCI publications.
The past and present research work in Republic of Korea includes (1) Assessment of the population dynamics of pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria (PPFMs) associated with rice at different stages and the most efficient plant growth promoting Methylobacterium were identified (2) Exploring the plant growth promoting effects of PPFMs with special emphasis on ACC deam inase containing bacteria. So far, two new sp. of Methylobacterium were published (Ref: Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 57:326-331, 2007; Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 2008 In press) and some other sp. nov and genera nov. bacterial strains remain unpublished. A theoritical model for the lowering of ethylene levels in plants by ACC deaminase containing Methylobacterium was proposed (Ref: Planta 226: 867-876, 2007). Exploration of other beneficial characteristics of Methylobacterium such as thiosulfate oxidation, heavy metal tolerance etc (Ref: publication list) were carried out. Above all, the autoinducer signal molecules (Quorum sensing) in Methylobacterium and methylotrophic Burkholderia were also identified (Ref: publication list). Additionally,

• Of the publications listed, five publications has scored a place in Top most 25 articles of particular SCI journal.
• Received a cash amount of £75.00 as a contribution towards expenses for the March 2007 IJSEM picture on the front cover
• Methylobacterium oryzae sp. nov. strain CBMB20 was taken for full genome sequencing because of its salient characteristics

Apart from all these research activities and publications, I have delivered three guest lectures and is/was presently holding position as

• an Editorial member in World Journal of Agricultural Sciences (WJAS), IDOSI publications
• a reviewer of more than 10 SCI journals
• a Member of Doctoral student thesis evaluation committee, Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Chungbuk National University, Republic of Korea (2004-2008)

Question and Answers :

What are your future goals? Where do you see your research going?:
Preserve Biological resource to the future generations in India

Technologies seem to changing faster than ever, how do you adapt to that? What are the current technologies you are using?:
At present i have submitted more than 500 sequences to the NCBI data base and my collaborators in Republic of Korea, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Japan et c., so i have develop my own research group in the future with help of your organisations.

In the broader picture, where do you see the application for your cutting-edge research?:
no comments

Fast forward to 2020. What’s your vision of Genomics in 2020?:
I have to apply full genome sequence particularly Methylotrophic microorganisms which is responsible for reduce green house gases eg. methane, methanol etc.,

Name: Marina Grandis

My Area of Interest: Neurogenetics

My Favourite Quote:  ”The Brain is wider than the Sky” by Emily Dickinson

I am a: post-doc at Department of Neurosciences, Ophthalmolgy and Genetics, University of Genova

Short Profile:

Question and Answers :

What are your future goals? Where do you see your research going?:
I would like to develop specific treatments for inherited neuropathies, in particular those caused b Myelin Protein Zero (MPZ) Mutations. Some mutations are mistrafficked and cause a decrease of cell viability. For those mutations we are trying drugs able to mitigate the mutated protein retention into the endoplasmic reticulum. Other mutations do reach the cellular membrane and cause a defect in myelin packaging. I think that those mutations may be traeted by specific anti-sense RNA to decrease the mutated allele expression. Indeed, having only one allele for MPZ, is associated to a very mild neuropathy.

Technologies seem to changing faster than ever, how do you adapt to that? What are the current technologies you are using?:
Anti-sense RNA, Immunolectro-microscopy; viral vectors

In the broader picture, where do you see the application for your cutting-edge research?:
My research may help do develop therapies for inherited neuropathies caused by AD hinerited mutations.

Fast forward to 2020. What’s your vision of Genomics in 2020?:
I think that a very promising field is the study of DNA methylation and imbalanced allelic expression which might explain why, in spite of carrying the same mutations, different patients, even within the same family, may develop a variably severe phenotype

Name: Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit

My Area of Interest: viruses

My Favourite Quote: veni, vidi, vici

I am a: Scientist at Tropical Institute

Short Profile:

Question and Answers :

What are your future goals? Where do you see your research going?:
Establishment of replicon systems for highly pathogenic hantaviruses (Andes virus and Sin Nombre virus) and generation of recombinant hantaviruses
molecular epidemiology of herpesviruses
molecular epidemiology of rodent-borne pathogens e.g. bunyaviruses and arenaviruses

Technologies seem to changing faster than ever, how do you adapt to that? What are the current technologies you are using?:
Reverse genomics

In the broader picture, where do you see the application for your cutting-edge research?:
To improve and design vaccines.

Fast forward to 2020. What’s your vision of Genomics in 2020?:
To help to cure diseases.

Name: Sunil Kumar Manna

My Area of Interest: Cell signaling

My Favourite Quote: Success will come if you have wish

I am a: Senior Scientist at Govt institute

Short Profile:

Question and Answers :

What are your future goals? Where do you see your research going?:
1. Molecular events of inflammatory diseases and possible therapeutic approaches:
Studies on Asthma
Asthma is a growing concern in this country. Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by episodes of airflow obstruction. Symptoms of an asthma attack include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. Asthma occurs in people who are predisposed to develop asthma because of genetic and environmental factors that determine susceptibility. A variety of “triggers” may initiate or worsen an asthma attack, including viral respiratory infections, exercise, and exposure to allergens or to airway irritants such as tobacco smoke and certain environmental pollutants.
To explore the genetic basis of asthma - the study is enrolling asthmatic patients and their families in order to identify genes for asthma and for responsiveness to allergens. This study has identified several candidate genes for asthma, some of which may be more common in Indian populations. Reports are available for genetic changes in interleukin-4 (IL-4), an immune-signaling molecule involved in asthma and allergic responses, which correlates with asthma severity. Besides that IL-8 is also involves in disease severity. Studies of such genes should facilitate development of new and more potent and selective therapies, and may help to identify patient populations who might respond best to a particular drug.
To explore the basic and clinical research -the mechanisms of disease specially involved cytokines a nd activation of signaling molecules (kinases and transcription factors) and ways to prevent asthma, allergic, and immunologic diseases basic and clinical research it is necessary to seeks to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and management of asthma, particularly in Indian populations disproportionately affected by this disease.
Studies on Arthritis :
Articular inflammation and enzymatic degradation of cartilage components characterize arthritic disease. Enzymatic destruction of proteoglycan, found in articular cartilage is one of the early signs of arthritis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) specifically cleave a lot of matrix proteins and cleaved products are found within synovial fluid of arthritic joints. MMPs are regulated by transcription factors like NF-B and AP-1. So, to regulate these transcription factors and to improve the therapy for articular diseases are important strategy.
Study on allergic responses:
Mast cells play a major role in the initiation of allergic reaction. Mast cell numbers need to be tightly controlled by cell proliferation, development and death. As NF-B is important transcription factor and a downstream signaling molecule for cell proliferation and differentiation, the regulation of NF-B in mouse mast cell line (MC-9) by overexpressing dominant negative IB (inhibitory subunit of NF-B) or mutant NF-B will be important to understand its role in cell proliferation, allergic responses, and apoptosis. Mast cell apoptosis is another aspect to regulate asthma. Mast cell activation requires FcR aggregation on binding with IgE. So, targeting mast cells using this receptor for apoptosis will be a viable strategy to control allergy. Preliminary data show that melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) downregulates NF-B and different cell types but induces apoptosis in mast cells. The crosslinked MSH and IgE (MSH-IgE) specifically induces cytotoxicity of mast cells. In this proposed project we want establish mast cell apoptosis by detecting different caspases, death domain containing molecules, pro- and anti-apoptotic factors and to test this in mouse model by developing allergic response and then challenge with the MSH-IgE complex and understand the disease severity. Cytokines especially IL-8 induces mast cells through interaction of cell surface receptors. So, receptor regulation is another important aspect to control allergic responses. Chemotaxis of mast cells will be regulated by down-modulating chemokine receptors such as IL-8Rs which will be detected by western blot, receptor crosslinking, fluorescence microscopy and Scatchard analysis. Preliminary data suggest that -MSH downregulates IL-8Rs. So, the possible mechanism of downregulation of IL-8R or other receptors (if any) will be studied by detecting the membrane fluidity and microviscosity and the involvement of mast cell proteases will be carried out. It is also important that all sorts of inflammations are preceded through the upregulation of a wide array of inflammatory proteins including cytokines, growth factors, proteases and adhesion molecules. Most of these proteins depend on activation of nuclear transcription factor kappa B (NF-B). Thus, regulation of NF-B and its upstream (kinases and receptor-associated molecules) and downstream (mostly inflammatory proteins) molecules will be carried out in this project. Cytokine secreted from T helper 2 (TH2) cells are central to do the development of allergic diseases - what role do SOCS (suppressor of cytokine signaling) proteins have in this setting? Recently, SOCS proteins are targeted for anti-allergy drugs. It is important to understand the regulation of these proteins in mast cells by downregulating NF-B. This study would be helpful to regulate the mast cell mediated inflammatory and allergic responses, which may be useful for designing a novel anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory drug against mast cell mediated allergic and inflammatory diseases.
The main objectives are -

• elucidati on of cell signaling pathway(s) involving allergic responses in mast cells,
• the role of NF-B in mast cell proliferation, differentiation, and allergic responses,
• regulation of cell surface receptor(s) which activate mast cells,
• detection of mast cell target specific modulator(s) to regulate NF-B and to induce apoptosis,
• testing in an animal model.

2. Cancer biology:
Apoptosis is a programmed cell death mechanism to control cell number in tissues and to eliminate individual cells that may lead to disease states. The term ‘chemotherapy’ refers to the elimination of unwanted cells either by inhibiting their growth or by killing them. To regulate the abnormal growth of cells in lung cancerous tissue several chemotherapeutic drugs have been reported. Most of them become useless as the cells develop resistance to them by adopting mutation in the molecules involved in the signaling cascade related to cell growth. It is very useful to check the sensitivity of different chemotherapeutic agents by different lung cancer cells. In the event of only some cells showing resistance combination therapy may be suggested. It is necessary to detect signaling pathway(s) especially involving receptor-associated molecules, kinases and transcription factors which differ in chemotherapeutically resistant and sensitive cells. Detection of cross-talk in these molecules is also important to understand the mechanism of signaling. Detection of such key molecule(s) for resistance helps in the design of suitable drug(s), which act as their inhibitors.
Current paradigms in cancer therapy suggest that up-regulated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-B) by a variety of stimuli acts as anti-apoptotic. Thus, inhibiting NF-B activation may sensitize cells to anticancer therapy, thereby providing a more effective treatment for certain types of cancers. It is useful to understand the mechanism of constitutive expression of NF-B shown by some cancer cells. This can be done by searching for such cells from breast cancer, colon cancer or prostate cancer to detect the differences in the activated kinases and transcription factors between normal and cancerous cells and to detect different anti-inflammatory agents implicated to inhibit NF-B activation in such constitutively expressed cells.
3. Receptor biology:
In case of inflammatory diseases or apoptosis signaling molecules including pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF, IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8 exert their action through specific cell surface receptors. So receptor regulation is important to regulate these diseases.

Technologies seem to changing faster than ever, how do you adapt to that? What are the current technologies you are using?:
A lot of back-dated expreiments should be change with the modern-day technology to prove the same. Adaptation with the new technology and grabbing the techniques are the main ‘Mantra’ of research. Those - who have the good hands to grab these techniques are the real successor in this field. Now a days, modern art of technology by various companies really helping us to go really fast and neat research.

In the broader picture, where do you see the application for your cutting-edge research?:
Systemic biology would be good approach for me to define various diseases and for better therapy against those.
Fast forward to 2020. What’s your vision of Genomics in 2020?:
Genomics should translate into prognosis and solution for diseases

Name: George A. Garinis

My Area of Interest: Functional Genomics of Aging

My Favourite Quote: “Add life into years, not years into life”

I am a: Senior Scientist at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology-FORTH

Short Profile:

Question and Answers :

What are your future goals? Where do you see your research going?:
Our lab aims to use tissue-specific mouse models of accelerated aging and naturally aged mice as an experimentally tractable system to delineate the responses to DNA damage that are most pertinent to segmental progeria and natural aging as well as to identify the natural defense mechanisms that attempt to counteract age-related pathology and prolong lifespan. Investigating a complex process such that of aging, our lab undertakes a systems biology point of view, that is an integration rather than a reduction approach.

Technologies seem to changing faster than ever, how do you adapt to that? What are the current technologies you are using?:
The lab is currently using full genome-wide expression technologies to scan the transcriptome of progeroid and naturally aged mouse models. Following the recent advances in the genomics field, the lab will soon embark on the application of massive parallel sequencing (RNA tags, ChIP-Sequencing e.t.c.). In parallel, we are constantly adapting to the ever-changing technologies concerning a wide range of (bio)informatics applications allowing to extract the maximum possible information from the enormous amount of data generated in our lab.

In the broader picture, where do you see the application for your cutting-edge research?:
The continuous increase of average life span in developed societies is accompanied by the severe loss of quality of life that constitutes a major burden to our health care system. To monitor aging and design rationalized interventions against age-associated pathologies; fundamental knowledge of the aging process is needed. The Garinis laboratory explores the mouse as a mammalian model to study natural as well as accelerated aging. A comprehensive series of mouse mutants harboring effects in various DNA repair pathways have been generated many of which show premature onset of age-related pathologies. Our aim is to obtain a systems-biological view on aging, thereby unraveling the complex molecular mechanisms associated with advanced age. The originality and novelty of this proposal lies in the concept of using progeroid and naturally aged mice as an
experimentally tractable system to test whether DNA damage is a major contributing factor to progeria and natural aging. This study is likely to provide a pioneering groundwork into the basic mechanisms of pathology associated with segmental progeria and normal aging, including insights into the natural defence systems that promote longevity. It will also provide gene targets for further study, including badly needed markers for age-related degenerative processes that could be directly applicable to rationalized drug development and anti-aging
therapeutic approaches.

Fast forward to 2020. What’s your vision of Genomics in 2020?:
Long are the days when the promises of genomics were theoretical and far away. Today, functional genomics is becoming a reality providing insight into the basic principles of life and as a result enables the development of products processes and technologies that can improve prosperity. The Garinis lab envisions a post-genome era in medicine that will concentrate on treating causes rather than symptoms and will be personalized and proactive. In this respect, functional genomics can give us in the years to come the tools to design a “precision healthcare” policy finely tuned to each patient phenotype and genotype.